


Tooth and Nail (Prompt #12)

by Post-Calamity Jane (GlassHeadcanon)



Series: TDA: The "off-Global Cooldown Weave" Edition (FFXIV Write 2020) [11]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Banter, Comedy, Fist Fights, Gen, Pop Culture, Red Mage | RDM (Final Fantasy XIV), Snark, Teacher-Student Relationship, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26567275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassHeadcanon/pseuds/Post-Calamity%20Jane
Summary: Sabaki will do whatever it takes to avoid wearing the novice duelist’s garb.(a companion story to the following "Foibles")
Series: TDA: The "off-Global Cooldown Weave" Edition (FFXIV Write 2020) [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913404





	Tooth and Nail (Prompt #12)

In some ways, I suppose one could call it a victory. Of sorts. I did manage to restrain myself from killing my apprentice. There is always that to be said.

Next time, however, she mightn't be so fortunate. Such as if she continued to stand, staring dispassionately at me like that. And especially if she began to gloat. Thankfully for us both, she chose to do neither.

"Well? Satisfied now?" She asked, her arms crossed. "Do I win, or not?"

-

"So, what's it finally gotta take?" Sabaki had demanded.

"I beg your pardon?" I did not much care for these interruptions to training.

She swept an arm downwards to gesture at her apprentice duelist's garb. "To get me out of this getup." 

I held back a smirk, as all manner of imaginative - and highly cheeky - ways to interpret and respond to this immediately came to mind. But it would have been far too easy. So I bit my tongue. Instead, I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mayhap, you might be more specific?"

She tilted her head, replying with only a knowing and unimpressed look.

"Very well." I sheathed my sword, mildly disappointed that she had refused to play along. If she wished to be so serious about it, then so be it. "You must defeat me, first."

She groaned. 

"Aye. Single combat. Until one of us yields."

"Does it have to be with magic?"

"No, but - "

"And does it have to be with the sword?"

"Not at all. Why? What do you propose?" I began to wonder if this was a good idea. 

"I don't suppose a 'thumb war' would count?"

"A what?" I frowned, imagining the use of disembodied fingers as artillery, and questioning its efficacy.

"How about a staring contest?" She suggested.

"You know, I'm beginning to get the impression you're not taking the traditions of Red Magic very seriously at all," 

"Fine." She muttered with a dejected sigh. "Then I'll take: 'unarmed, no holds barred' for two-hundred, Alex."

I laughed, far too amused to question this new, mysterious idiom she had added. "Are you sure? You do realize that those of my clan are predisposed to having greater strength, greater stamina and that I not only outweigh you but - "

"Humor me." She took off her hat and began unlacing her red apprentice's bliaud.

"Milady, I know that this may be difficult to imagine, but do forgive me if I do not relish the thought of beating a woman with my bare hands..."

"Yet you won't hesitate to poke holes in her with steel, electrocute her, set her on fire, or bludgeon her with flying rocks?"

"You missed 'Aero'," I could not help but correct her glaring omission of reference to the fourth elemental spell type.

"How could I forget, considering how often you break wind at me, old man?" She gaily quipped.

"When two score and two namedays you reach, we shall see whose digestive system is laughing then," I retorted. "But you might have just as easily alluded to my being full of hot air instead." 

She grinned. "Do you ever stop wanting to be the teacher?" At that, she began to roll up the sleeves of her undertunic.

Clearly, she was serious, despite her overly-casual demeanor. And so I, too, set my hat aside, then removed my gloves. "Only once the student no longer demonstrates the want of something to learn." I couldn't resist letting the smirk out at that, before unbuckling my tabard.

She had waited until I was ready, then had held up her fists, and said, "Sounds fair to me."

-

I lay there on the ground, curled up in agony. Yet I managed to rein in a great many unuttered curses while squinting up in rage. 

"Well? Satisfied now?" She asked, her arms crossed. "Do I win, or not?"

"Damn you, and your dirty tricks." I had to force myself to deepen my voice and not merely squeak my exclamation. I should have expected by now that of any woman I knew, this one would not hesitate to knee me right in the popotoes. Which is exactly what she had done. "Wear whatever the bloody hells you please, for all I care." I spat out. "Just make sure it's red!"


End file.
